LUANDA, The enlistment of the Historic Center of Mbanza Kongo, former capital of the Congo kingdom, on the world heritage list honors Angola in particular and the African continent in general due to its role to enhance the rich history of the communities of the region (Angola, DR Congo , Congo Brazzaville and Gabon), said Friday Culture minister Carolina Cerqueira.

The Culture minister said so at the end of the reception ceremony of the certificate on registration of Mbanza Kongo on world heritage list held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

It is a cross-border heritage that will promote sustainable development of the region, generate employment for the new generations and especially the progress of the communities living in the region, the minister stressed.

Carolina Cerqueira said that the conquest entailed hard cultural diplomacy work which involved the African partners and the members of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

The minister added that Mbanza Kongo provided an entry for Angola on the world cultural policy stage.

She said that this will require a great responsibility of all the actors of Angolan society, calling for its conservation, valuation and promotion.

As for the leaders of the region, the minister spoke of the need of a serious commitment to peace and stability.

Angola, under the president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has stood out through a policy of social inclusion and good relationship instilled not only in the Great Lakes region but also the African continent.

During the audience the minister also said to have informed the UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, that Angola has requested the institution's support for identification of scientific elements leading to proposing and accepting the inclusion of the national cultural heritage issue in school curriculum, specifically that on Mbanza Kongo.